Apparatus for heating textile yarns and filaments

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to apparatus for heating textile yarns and filaments. The apparatus includes an elongate conduit through which a heating fluid passes, and first and second passageways having one end each projecting into the conduit and facing, respectively against and with the direction of fluid flow within the conduit. A hollow yarn heating device is connected between the first and second passageways outside the conduit.

United States Patent [191 Mattingly July 29, 1975 1 APPARATUS FOR HEATING TEXTILE YARNS AND FILAMENTS [76] Inventor: Denis Albert Edward Mattingly, 5

Farorna Walk, Enfield, Middlesex, England [22] Filed: Nov. 16, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 416,600

[52] U.S. Cl. 28/713; 28/62; 57/77.3;

137/340; 137/599.1 [51] Int. Cl D02j 13/00; D02j 1/22 [58] Field of Search 28/62, 71.3; 425/66;

34/124; 137/340, 599.1; 57/34 HS, 773; 263/6 C; 165/90 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,660,195 11/1953 Risley et a1. 137/599.1

2,778,058 1/1957 Gabler 28/713 2,884,959 5/1959 Neely 137/340 X 3,441,993 5/1969 Stelwagen 28/62 Primary Examiner-Louis K. Rimrodt Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Bacon & Thomas [57] ABSTRACT This invention relates to apparatus for heating textile yarns and filaments. The apparatus includes an elongate conduit through which a heating fluid passes, and first and second passageways having one end each projecting into the conduit and facing, respectively against and with the direction of fluid flow within the conduit. A hollow yarn heating device is connected between the first and second passageways outside the conduit.

9 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR HEATING TEXTILE YARNS AND FILAMENTS This invention relates to apparatus for heating textile yarns and filaments.

With synthetic yarn processing machines it is often necessary to provide a means for heating the yarns whilst they are being processed. Typical requirements are those of false twist crimping or the drawing process normally applied to polymeric synthetic yarns of the polyester or polyamide types. The equipment on which these processes are performed is often located on machines which may be of the order of forty feet long. These machines may carry many stations or threadlines through which individual yarns are to be processed. It is important in all such processes that each yarn being processed is subjected to the same physical influences so that the product from such a machine is of an overall uniform character. This is particularly the case where heat is applied in the process and it is an object of this invention to provide a heating arrangement by means of which considerable uniformity of heating can be applied to yarns at a plurality of heating stations.

According to the invention there is provided apparatus for heating textile yarns and filaments comprising an elongated conduit through which a heating fluid is arranged to be passed in use, a first passageway having an end projecting into the conduit and facing, within the conduit, against the direction of flow of the fluid, a second passageway having an end projecting into the conduit and facing, within the conduit, with the direction of flow of the fluid, and a hollow yarn heating device connected to the first and second passageways outside the conduit so as to permit in use the flow of heating fluid from the conduit through the first passageway, the heating device, and the second passageway back into the conduit.

Conveniently the first and second passageways are each L-shaped, one leg of each lying within the conduit and the other leg of each extending out through the wall of the conduit.

At least the portions of the first and second passageways lying within the conduit may be formed in a single unitary metal body. The cross sectional area of the conduit may be at least ten times greater than the crosssectional area of the ends of the passageways within the conduit.

It will be seen that with the apparatus of the present invention, a positive pressure will be created in front of the end of the passageway within the conduit that faces against the direction of flow and a negative pressure at the end of the passageway facing with the direction of flow. These pressure differences will cause some of the fluid in circuit through the conduit to flow through the yarn heating device. The sizes of the conduit, the sizes of the passageways and the speed of flow of the fluid will be chosen to ensure that every station receives the same amount of heat.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, one embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional side elevation of part of one form of apparatus according to the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a sectional front elevation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

In the drawings there is shown part of an elongate conduit 1 which typically will extend for some 30 to 40 feet along the front of a yarn processing machine (not shown). A second conduit 2 is disposed within conduit 1, the two conduits providing an out and return path for a closed circuit flow of heating fluid, flow directions being indicated by the arrows 3. At the upstream end of the outer conduit 1 is disposed a pump and an immersion type electric heating element (not shown). The conduit is also connected to a header tank (not shown) provided to allow for the expansion of heating fluid due to heating.

Disposed within the conduit 1 is a metallic body 4 having one surface 5 contoured to the internal configuration of the conduit 1. The body 4 is bored to provide two L-shaped passageways 6 and 7, the end 8 of passageway 6 facing against the direction of heating fluid flow and the end 9 of passageway 7 facing with the direction of heating fluid flow.

The radially outer ends of passageways 6 and 7 are provided with internal screw threads within which are screwed connectors 10 and 11. Connectors 10 and 11 pass through apertures 12 and 13 in the wall of conduit 1, and, by means of hexagon shaped flanges l4 and 15, hold the body 4 and conduit 1 securely and liquid tightly together.

The outer ends of the connectors 10 and 11 are coupled by means of nuts 16 and 17 to tubes 18 and 19 which pass (as shown diagrammatically) to and from a heating device 20, which in the case illustrated comprises a hollow heated draw pin for yarn drawing purposes. Any suitable alternative heating device could be used, such as a hollow platen of the kind over which yarn is arranged to be passed prior to false twist crimping.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the ends 8 and 9 of the passageways 6 and 7 are thin walled and tapered so as to reduce turbulence of heating fluid flow and thereby ease the flow of fluid through the heating device 20.

In a typical embodiment of the invention, the diameter of conduit 1 is 35 mm, the diameter of conduit 2 is 15 mm, and the internal diameter of the passageway 6 and 7 is approximately 5 mm. Thus the cross-sectional area of conduit 1 (less the cross-sectional area of conduit 2) is approximately 40 times the cross-sectional area of passageways 6 and 7.

Typically water is used as the heating fluid and is pumped through the conduits l and 2 at a velocity of 300 meters per min. A temperature of to 93 centigrade is provided at the drawing device 20.

In an alternative arrangement instead of providing conduits l and 2 for an out and return path along one side of a yarn processing machine, the conduit, may extend around both sides of a processing machine in a single closed path.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for heating textile yarns and filaments comprising an elongate conduit through which a heating fluid is arranged to be passed in use; a first tubular member defining a first passageway having an end projecting into the conduit and facing, within the conduit, against the direction of flow of the fluid; a second tubular member defining a second passageway having an end projecting into the conduit and facing, within the conduit, with the direction of flow of the fluid; and a hollow yarn heating device connected to the first and second passageways outside the conduit whereby to permit in use the flow of heating fluid from the conduit through the first passageway, the heating device and the second passageway back into the conduit, said first tubular member being smaller than said conduit and arranged to permit flow therein of only a part of fluid flowing in said conduit.

' 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the first and second passageways each have two legs and are of L-shape, one leg of each lying within the conduit and the other leg of each extending out through the wall of the conduit.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which at least the portions of the first and second passageways lying within the conduit are formed in a single unitary metal body.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the end of at least the first tubular member within the conduit is thin-walled and tapered.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the crosssectional area of the conduit is at least times greater than the cross-sectional area of the ends of the passageways within the conduit.

6. Apparatus as claimed in ,claim 1 wherein the conduit is in the form of a loop passing around a double sided yarn processing machine, a plurality of said first and second passageways and said heating devices being provided along each side of the machine for yarn processing purposes.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the conduit extends along one side of a yarn processing machine, the conduit being provided with an inner tube for the return flow of heating fluid from the end of the machine, and including a plurality of said first and second passageways and heating devices along the machine for yarn processing purposes.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the heating device is a hollow draw pin around which travelling yarn is passed for drawing purposes.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the heating device is a hollow platten over which travelling yarn is passed on a false twist crimping machine. 

1. Apparatus for heating textile yarns and filaments comprising an elongate conduit through which a heating fluid is arranged to be passed in use; a first tubular member defining a first passageway having an end projecting into the conduit and facing, within the conduit, against the direction of flow of the fluid; a second tubular member defining a second passageway having an end projecting into the conduit and facing, within the conduit, with the direction of flow of the fluid; and a hollow yarn heating device connected to the first and second passageways outside the conduit whereby to permit in use the flow of heating fluid from the conduit through the first passageway, the heating device and the second passageway back into the conduit, said first tubular member being smaller than said conduit and arranged to permit flow therein of only a part of fluid flowing in said conduit.
 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the first and second passageways each have two legs and are of L-shape, one leg of each lying within the conduit and the other leg of each extending out through the wall of the conduit.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which at least the portions of the first and second passageways lying within the conduit are formed in a single unitary metal body.
 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the end of at least the first tubular member within the conduit is thin-walled and tapered.
 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cross-sectional area of the conduit is at least 10 times greater than the cross-sectional area of the ends of the passageways within the conduit.
 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the conduit is in the form of a loop passing around a double sided yarn processing machine, a plurality of said first and second passageways and said heating devices being provided along each side of the machine for yarn processing purposes.
 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the conduit extends along one side of a yarn processing machine, the conduit being provided with an inner tube for the return flow of heating fluid from the end of the machine, and including a plurality of said first and second passageways and heating devices along the machine for yarn processing purposes.
 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the heating device is a hollow draw pin around which travelling yarn is passed for drawing purposes.
 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the heating device is a hollow platten over which travelling yarn is passed on a false twist crimping machine. 